Meg and her little brother, Charles, wonder what happened to their father, a scientist working for the government who has been missing for several years. When a strange old lady shows up at their door, the adventure to find him begins. The old lady and two more of her odd friends lead them out of the universe into the worlds of some strange planets that are under the influence of the horrible, shadowy IT.



A Wrinkle in Time is both a sci-fi story and a coming of age story. Meg, an awkward and insecure girl finds the courage and resourcefulness to overcome IT and save her father and brother. She also learns about the importance of family and love. While the character growth of Meg is nice, at times it seems a little contrived. One minute she's on the brink of death under the grip of IT, and the next, she's ready to face IT because she knows that it's something only she can do. It's also not very clear why little Charles, who has the vocabulary of a Harvard graduate, is so special. Some of the characters could have benefited from more development. Throughout the story there are references to Christianity: quotes from scripture, mention of guardian angels, and the idea that God is in charge of everything. This gives the story a "Chronicles of Narnia" kind of feel.



Overall, the story is very good, and one that would appeal to middle grade readers who enjoy sci-fi/fantasy books.